Final football hot takes: Keys and defining moments for 13 Bowl Games & Finals

Updated Sep 24, 2019; Posted Dec 05, 2018

By HS football staff | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The historic first-ever NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics Bowl Games & Non-Public Finals are a wrap after 13 games over two weekends, with dozens of fantastic plays. There were a few absolute thrillers, some statement wins and all the excitement of N.J. championship football at its best.

Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

Hot takes

Elsewhere we have tons of in-depth coverage, with many stories, stars, photos and videos to explore from each game, but here in this post, in one compact space, we have all our hot takes - the key details and defining moments from every game, along with our reporters' expert analysis, like we've done all season, but in an expanded version for these special games.

Enjoy the Bowl Game hot takes.

Photo: Red Bank Catholic celebrates with the championship trophy after the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 3 football state final on Saturday, November 24, 2018. Red Bank Catholic beat Mater Dei, 14-10.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Penns Grove's amazing comeback to top Willingboro in the South Group 1 Bowl Game

Jared McNair's 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter capped a comeback from a 20-point deficit as Penns Grove rallied to defeat Willingboro, 35-26.

The Red Devils scored the game's final 29 points, including all 17 in the second half. Tyreke Brown scored a pair of touchdowns, while Makhi Scott led a strong late defensive effort with two of Penns Grove's seven sacks. Nasir Robinson scored on a 60-yard reception and a 26-yard TD run.

Penns Grove finished the season 13-0, the first South Jersey team to ever accomplish the feat.

Photo: #1 Tyreke Brown holds up the trophy after Penns Grove's 35-26 win over Willingboro for the South Group 1 Bowl Game at MetLife Stadium.

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The comeback gains steam

Down 26-6, but while it was still early in the second quarter, Penns Grove's comeback got rolling in earnest.

Sophomore Nasir 'Hollywood' Robinson took a screen pass 60 yards down the sideline to help the Red Devils' cut into their first-half deficit. The TD was his 11th of the season.

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Penns Grove comeback gets really real

Jayon Carter made it a one-score difference, keeping his feet inbounds en route to a 37-yard touchdown run for Penns Grove. The score cut the Red Devils' deficit to 26-24 with two minutes left in the third quarter.

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Comeback complete, via a boot

Junior kicker Jared McNair drilled a 30-yard field goal with 6:53 left in the fourth quarter to give Penns Grove its first lead of the game - and proved to be the game-winner. A delay penalty originally pushed the attempt back five yards, but Willingboro was called with an offsides penalty and the ball went back to the original line of scrimmage.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Penns Grove vs. Willingboro by the numbers

7 - Total number of sacks by the Penns Grove defense as it overcame a slow start and stifled Williingboro in the second half. Shown here, a sack by Penns Grove's Zion Cheeks.

29 - Number of unanswered points scored by Penns Grove after Willingboro opened up a 26-6 second-quarter lead.

13 - The number of wins for Penns Grove, which became the first 13-0 team in South Jersey history.

3 - Touchdowns by Willingboro standout wide receiver Nasir Murray, who caught 6 passes for 65 yards and scores of 17 and 8 yards and also ran one in from 5 yards out.

30 - The distance in yards of Jared McNair's field goal that gave Penns Grove its first lead with just under seven minutes to play.

Hasbrouck Heights dominates Butler to win North 1 Bowl Game and cap amazing 3-year run

Hasbrouck Heights rolled to a 41-7 victory over Butler in the North Group 1 bowl game to put the finishing touches on the most successful three-year stretch in school history.

Senior Jasiah Purdie did what he did all season long and finished with 206 yards of total offense and scored five times to lead the way offensively. Defensively, senior Chris Tibault led the way with seven tackles and four sacks.

With the win, Hasbrouck Heights notched its second undefeated season in the last three years and ran its three-year record to 33-1. Its only loss came in overtime to Rutherford in last year's NJIC championship. The three-year stretch also includes three straight sectional titles, three straight divisional titles, two overall conference championships and now a bowl game victory.

Photo: Etni Alvis (11, left) and Zai'heer Jenkins (2) of Hasbrouck Heights plant a kiss on the championship trophy after the Aviators beat Butler, 41-4, in the NJSIAA North 1 football state championship on Friday, November 23, 2018. Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Everything working for Heights

Hasbrouck Heights' opening possession appeared to stall just outside the red zone, but in a sign of success to come, the Aviators rolled the dice on 4th-and-8 with a crafty hook-and-lateral play. At Butler's 21-yard line, QB Spencer Lee threw a quick screen to Jasiah Purdie. Purdie then pitched the ball to RB Michael Robertson, who ran it 19 yards for a touchdown.

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Everything working for Heights, Part 2

On the first play of the second half, Hasbrouck Heights went back to the trickery. This time, the Aviators used a double-reverse pass that went for a 42-yard touchdown. It would take a few sentences to describe it all so just watch it above!

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Purdie-powered offense

Senior Jasiah Purdie did it all in this game. He had five catches for 68 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 138 yards and four more scores. This was one of his biggest runs of the game when he broke free for a 48-yard touchdown.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

Hasbrouck Heights vs. Butler by the numbers

206 - Jasiah Purdie finished with 206 yards of total offense and scored five touchdowns. The do-it-all senior is technically a wide receiver but played just about every offensive position this year. Purdie finished the season with 833 yards rushing, 786 yards receiving and 31 total touchdowns.

57 - Hasbrouck Heights earned every bit of its undefeated season. In the final six weeks of its season, Hasbrouck Heights knocked off four straight undefeated teams (Park Ridge, Rutherford, New Providence and Weequahic) before beating Shabazz and Butler. Those six teams finished the season with a combined 57 wins and 11 losses.

4 - Heights' Chris Thibault had 1.5 sacks coming into Saturday's game. He more than doubled his season total in one senior finale after sacking the Butler QB four times and finishing with seven tackles.

2 - This year's senior class for Hasbrouck Heights only won two games when they played together in freshmen football. In the last three years, Hasbrouck Heights went 33-1.

In a matchup of two undefeated, two-time reigning sectional champions, No. 6 Haddonfield (13-0) was able to outlast No. 14 Hillside with superb defense and some strong special teams play for a 17-7 victory.

Davis Smith returned a punt 53 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter to open a 14-0 lead and Henry Grozier kicked a 35-yard field goal in the third to help Haddonfield extend its state-leading winning streak to 17 games while stopping Hillside's streak at 15.

Lewis Evans, Drew Gavranich and John Foley anchored a Haddonfield defense that limited Hillside's high-octane offense to 193 total yards and its lowest point total in more than two years. Haddonfield gained only 163 yards, but was able to capitalize more frequently on field position and the opposition's mistakes - and it committed fewer penalties.

Photo: Quarterback Jay Foley (2) and his Haddonfield teammates hold up their helmets after they beat Hillside, 17-7, in the South Group 2 bowl game on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at MetLife Stadium. Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Smith's punt return opens two-touchdown lead

Haddonfield called timeout with Hillside facing fourth-and-10 from its 24 in the final ticks of the second quarter, and then capitalized royally on that decision. Senior Davis Smith caught the ensuing punt at the Haddonfield 47 and weaved his way through traffic for the next 53 yards to give the Bulldawgs a 14-0 lead with only five seconds left in the half. That was only the second special teams return yielded by Hillside this season.

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Kane's juggling act

Had senior DT Jimmy Kane merely batted away Hillside's pass on his fierce rush, it would have been regarded as an outstanding play. But he made it a game-changer by keeping it alive with a slight juggle and then controlling it for an interception that gave Haddonfield possession at the Hillside 20. Four plays later, the Bulldawgs cashed in with a 35-yard field goal by Henry Grozier for a 17-0 lead with 12 seconds to go in the third quarter.

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Haddonfield twins connect

Senior Johnny Foley made one of the best plays of the day when he leaped behind a defender and snared the pass of twin brother Jay for a 43-yard pickup to the Hillside 28 early in third quarter. That drive ended with an interception at the 10-yard line six plays later, but it does not diminish Johnny Foley's skillful play. He closed with a game-high six receptions for 68 yards.

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Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media

Haddonfield vs. Hillside by the numbers

7 - A stubborn Haddonfield defense held Hillside to its lowest point output in 28 games with its 17-7 victory. Hillside came in averaging 39.2 points this season, but was stunted by the excellent play of Lewis Evans, Drew Gavranich (Evans and Gavranich, #7, shown here stopping Brian Ugwu), Jimmy Kane and Alex Kadar.

11 - Tackles by both senior outside linebacker Lewis Evans of Haddonfield and junior LB Akugbe Omokaro of Hillside to lead their teams. Evans' teammate Drew Gavranich chipped in with 10 stops.

17 - Haddonfield's winning streak, which will be the longest current run when the season opens in 2019. The Bulldawgs won their final four games of 2017 following a 37-19 loss to Sterling.

53 - Yards covered by senior Davis Smith on his punt return that gave Haddonfield a 14-0 lead with just five seconds remaining in the second quarter. That was only the second return allowed all season by Hillside.

85 - Yards were hard to come by for all ball carriers in this game, but Hillside senior Brian Ugwu was able to churn out 85 on 11 attempts to lead all rushers. Haddonfield was able to keep Ugwu out of the end zone, though, as it allowed only a fourth-quarter TD pass.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Rutherford unloads on Kittatinny to win North Group 2 Bowl Game, N.J.'s first bowl ever

Years from now, Rutherford could be the answer to a trivia question: Who won New Jersey's first ever Bowl Game?

The Bulldogs became BowlDogs en route to their 62-14 win over Kittatinny at MetLife Stadium behind a career performance from QB Kyle Russell and another big time performance from senior RB Abellany Mendez.

Russell (with trophy in the photo here) threw for a career-high 307 yards and three touchdowns, also running for one. Mendez accounted for five total touchdowns -- rushing for three, catching one and throwing one -- to finish the year with 47 total TDs.

After falling behind early, 7-0, Rutherford rattled off 55 unanswered points in a lopsided decision over this year's North 1, Group 2 champion. Rutherford improved to 40-4 over the last four seasons under coach Andy Howell.

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Career-best performance from Russell

Rutherford QB Kyle Russell was right in the middle of a 55-0 scoring streak against Kittatinny, including this 31-yard TD pass to Connor Cahill in the first half. This TD strike marked Rutherford's fourth straight touchdown after falling behind early, 7-0, to take a 27-7 lead with 9:58 left before half.

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A dazzling first half for Rutherford - and Mendez

Rutherford's Abellany Mendez capped his four-touchdown first half with this 20-yard TD reception from QB Kyle Russell with just 8 seconds left in the first half. The score, coupled with the ensuing PAT, were the last points in Rutherford's 42-point first-half explosion, after once trailing, 7-0.

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Mendez accounts for 5th TD

He had already rushed for three touchdowns and caught one, but Abellany Mendez continued filling up the stat sheet early in the third quarter when he threw this 3-yard jump pass touchdown to Reagan Landigan. This score put Rutherford ahead, 48-7, with 7:18 left in the third.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Rutherford vs. Kittatinny by the numbers

307 -- The number of yards Rutheford QB Kyle Russell threw for. It was, by far, a career-high for the senior signal-caller, who had never thrown for more than 200 in a game before. He finished 19-of-22 for 307 yards and three touchdowns.

45 -- The number of total touchdowns Rutherford RB Abellany Mendez ended with this season. After his four-touchdown performance against Kittatinny, Mendez, shown here celebrating with ecstatic fans, finished with 39 rushing TDs, 5 receiving TDs and one kickoff return for a score. Additionally, he threw two touchdown passes, including one against Kittatinny, to have a hand in 47 total touchdowns in 12 games.

320 -- The number of total yards Rutherford RB Abellany Mendez accounted for in two games at MetLife Stadium the past two years. He rushed 17 times for 92 yards and 3 TDs vs. Kittatinny, while adding five catches for 80 yards and another score. Last year against Hackettstown at MetLife, Mendez rushed 8 times for 97 yards and 1 TD, while adding 5 catches for 51 yards and another TD.

40 -- The number of wins Rutherford coach Andy Howell has accumulated the last four seasons. Since the start of 2015, Rutherford is 40-4 with one North 2 Bowl Game win, two sectional final wins and one NJIC championship.

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Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media

Late TD gives Rumson-Fair Haven win over Woodrow Wilson in South Group 3 Bowl

Alex Maldjian carried the ball 40 times for 204 yards and Rumson-Fair Haven scored on each of its final three possessions en route to a 26-18 victory over Woodrow Wilson in the Group 3 bowl game.

Rumson-Fair Haven (10-2), No. 15 in the NJ.com Top 20, took plenty of time off the clock - scoring on drives of 57, 60 and 65 yards in the second half. Maldjian carried the ball 24 times on those three drives.

On the game-winning drive, RFH converted twice on third down. Quarterback Collin Coles, who completed all three of his second-half passing attempts, connected on a 29-yard pass to Patrick Jamin and then a 21-yard throw to Jackson McCarthy in the right flat. McCarthy turned up field and slipped past the Woodrow Wilson defenders for the game-winning TD with 1:15 left.

Maldjian collected the two-point conversion to give Rumson-Fair Haven a 26-18 lead. Woodrow Wilson's final possession ended at its own 41 with three seconds left.

Photo: Rumson-Fair Haven coach Jerry Schulte holds the trophy after defeating Woodrow Wilson 26-18 to win the NJSIAA South Group 3 Bowl game between Rumon-Fair Haven and Woodrow Wilson at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on 12-1-18.

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Kargman makes his mark on N.J.

Senior quarterback Nick Kargman wasted no time setting the state single-season passing record. Needing 23 yards to break the mark of 3,688 set by Timber Creek graduate Devin Leary in his junior season, Kargman hit Naiem Simmons for 35 yards on the first play of Woodrow Wilson's initial possession. Kargman would complete 20-for-34 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns, setting the new mark at 3,963 yards.

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This game was tight till the end

This game went back and forth but kept ending up even until very late. Here, Woodrow Wilson ties it at 18-18 with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter. Trailing 18-12, Nick Kargman hits Louisville commit Stanley King on a 9-yard TD strike to bring the game back to even. Woodrow Wilson needed just 2:23, running nine plays, to cover 80 yards. Kargman was 5-of-7 for 59 yards on the drive.

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The game-winner

From early on, this game looked like it wouldn't be decided till very late - and that's what happened here. Jackson McCarthy pulled in a 21-yard pass from Collin Coles with just over a minute to go for the game-winning touchdown. It was the only catch for the 6-foot-5 senior wide receiver. The scoring play capped an 8-play, 65-yard drive that included six runs by Alex Maldjian and two big passes.

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Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media

RFH vs. Wilson by the numbers

40-for-204 - Rumson-Fair Haven senior running back Alex Maldjian, shown here celebrating the win, carried the ball 40 times for 204 yards, including a 53-yard TD run in the opening quarter. He finished the season with 1,679 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns. In his last two games, Maldjian was a workhorse - rushing for 475 yards and five touchdowns on 89 carries.

3,963 - Woodrow Wilson senior quarterback Nick Kargman set the state single-season passing record, finishing with 3,963 yards. He came into the game needing 23 yards to break the pervious mark of 3,688 set by Timber Creek's Devin Leary as a junior in 2016. Kargman completed 20-of-34 passes for 297 yards.

174 - Woodrow Wilson senior wide receiver Naiem Simmons, a transfer from Cherry Hill West, had seven catches for a career-high 174 yards and two scores in the loss. He finished the season with 1,002 yards and nine TDs on 60 catches to give Woodrow Wilson two 1,000-yard receivers. Louisville commit Stanley King had 79 catches for 1,413 yards and 15 TDs.

11 - A one-man wrecking crew, Rumson-Fair Haven linebacker Keegan Woods had a team-high 11 tackles. He also came up a pair of game-changing plays with an interception and a forced fumble in the first half.

Ramapo takes the pineapple, topping Summit in the North Group 3 Bowl Game

Ramapo's first undefeated season since 2001 was capped in impressive fashion against Summit, with senior QB AJ Wingfield firing five touchdown passes and senior WR Max Baker hauling in three of them in the Green Raiders' 42-22 win over Summit, this year's North 2, Group 3 champion.

Wingfield finished 19-of-25 for 277 yards, while Baker ended with eight catches for 85 yards, a two-point conversion reception and a pair of INTs defensively for the Green Raiders, who entered the game ranked No. 4 in the NJ.com Top 20.

Ramapo, which won its sixth sectional title in the last 18 years under coach Drew Gibbs, became the first team in state history to finish a season 13-0.

Photo: Fernon Patterson holds up the lucky pineapple after taking a bite following Ramapo's 42-22 win over Summit in the North, Group 3 Bowl Game at MetLife Stadium.

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Oh, brother: Wingfield was on fire

Ramapo QB A.J. Wingfield tossed five TDs in this game - perhaps none prettier than this highlight-reel connection with twin brother Matt.

With Ramapo trailing, 8-7, early in the second quarter, Ramapo QB A.J. Wingfield avoided a potential sack, using the football to keep off the turf, rolled to his left then fired a 41-yard touchdown strike down the left sideline to his brother, Matt, to retake the lead. It was Wingfield's second TD pass of the game and put Ramapo up, 13-8.

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Wingfield's 4th TD pass - it's a trend

Summit had just cut Ramapo's lead to four with 2:19 left before halftime, but that was plenty of time for Wingfield and the Ramapo offense. Working their two-minute offense to perfection, Wingfield connected with Max Baker for this 20-yard touchdown with 37 seconds left before the break to take a 26-16 lead. The same pair connected on the ensuing two-point conversion to go up, 28-16. This was the second of three Wingfield-to-Baker touchdowns and the fourth of Wingfield's five TD tosses.

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Baker's 3rd TD puncuates Ramapo win

Ramapo's Max Baker might have the prototypical WR size, but he showed as much toughness as anyone on this 6-yard touchdown catch from AJ Wingfield with 6:44 left in the fourth for Ramapo's final score of the afternoon. Baker, listed generously at 5-9, bulldozed his way into the end zone here for his third TD catch, putting Ramapo ahead, 42-16.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Ramapo vs. Summit by the numbers

13 -- Ramapo became the first team in New Jersey history to reach the 13-win mark. Its 13-0 season marked the Green Raiders' first undefeated season since coach Drew Gibbs' first with the program back in 2001. '13' also meant a great deal to Ramapo as a team when its own No. 13 -- Noah Baker -- suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 0.

479 -- The number of total yards of offense Ramapo produced against Summit. The Green Raiders enjoyed a well-balanced attack, as AJ Wingfield threw for 278 and, as a team, rushed for 201. RB Luke Ragone led the ground game with 23 carries for 118 yards and one TD.

83 -- The number of plays Ramapo's offense ran against Summit. Of those 83 plays, the Green Raiders picked up first downs on 25 of them.

3 -- The number of turnovers Ramapo's defense forced -- all interceptions. Max Baker registered two of them (one of them shown here), while DL Sam Basa recorded one.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

Long Branch rallies past Shawnee to win South Group 4 Bowl

Long Branch scored the game's final 20 points, erasing a 17-0 deficit, and junior tailback Jermaine Corbett broke the 2,000-yard rushing mark for the season in a 20-17 victory over Shawnee in the South Group 4 bowl game. Long Branch (12-1) set a school record for victories in a season and closed the 2018 season with eight consecutive wins.

Two touchdowns and a field goal by Joe Dalsey gave Shawnee a 17-0 lead. Long Branch was playing without five defensive starters who were out for undisclosed reasons. Long Branch, however, settled down on defense, got two rushing TDs from Corbett and a TD pass from Marc Dennis to Matthew Clarke.

Needing 56 yards to reach 2,000, Corbett reached the milestone on his 12th carry of the game. It was a 1-yard gain with 7:31 left in the fourth quarter. Corbett joined his brother, Dahmiere Willis, as the only 2,000-yard rushers in Long Branch history. Willis rushed for 2,589 yards in 2014.

Photo: Qua'Zahun Dennis (9) of Long Branch plants a kiss on the Group 4 championship trophy after the Green Wave beat Shawnee in the South Group 4 bowl game on Saturday, December 1, 2018. Long Branch won, 20-17. Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Shawnee's Joe Dalsey has huge night

Shawnee's senior running back Joe Dalsey ended his career with a huge game. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, scored all 17 of Shawnee's points. He scored touchdowns receiving and rushing. He also kicked a 31-yard field goal. Dalsey carried 16 times for 114 yards and caught four passes for 78 yards. Shown here is Dalsey's second TD, a 16-yard reception near the end of the first quarter.

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Corbett joins 2K rushing club

Junior Jermaine Corbett joined his brother, Dahmiere Willis, as the only 2,000-yard rushers in Long Branch history. Corbett reached 2,000 yards with a 1-yard gain on a carry over left tackle with 7:31 left in the fourth quarter. Corbett finished with 85 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns giving him 2,024 yards for the season. Corbett finished the season as leading rusher in New Jersey. Shown here, Corbett's 6-yard TD in the second that got Long Branch on the scoreboard.

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Dennis leads Long Branch comeback

As he as has all season long, senior quarterback Marc Dennis starred in a leadership role for Long Branch. Dennis completed all five of his second-half passes for 84 yards. His biggest completion came on a sprint out to the right where he found wide receiver Matt Clarke for a 20-yard touchdown. The pass capped a 3-play, 27-yard march and took advantage of a Shawnee turnover on a kickoff. The Dennis-to-Clarke connection gave Long Branch a 20-17 lead with 7:05 left in the third quarter.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

Long Branch vs. Shawnee by the numbers

2,024 -- The number of yards Long Branch running back Jermaine Corbett finished the 2018 season with. Corbett was one of only two New Jersey running backs to rush for 2,000 yards this season (the other was Highland's Johnny Martin). Corbett, shown here leaping over Shawnee's Jon Searcy, rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

10 -- The number of tackles made by Long Branch linebacker Luke Arnold. Arnold, who played with his left wrist in a cast, also recovered a fumble that led to the decisive Long Branch touchdown in the third quarter.

66 -- The number of yards a second-quarter punt by Shawnee's Joe Dalsey covered. Dalsey had a huge statistical night, finishing with 114 yards rushing and 78 yards receiving. He also kicked a 31-yard field goal and accounted for all 17 of Shawnee's points.

94 -- The number of seconds that passed between Long Branch touchdowns in the third quarter that turned the game around. Long Branch capped a 10-play, 65-yard march with a 1-yard run by Corbett. On the ensuing kickoff, Shawnee fumbled. Arnold recovered and three plays later QB Marc Dennis connected with Matthew Clarke on a 20-yard scoring pass to give Long Branch its first lead with 7:05 left in the third quarter.

12 -- Long Branch's 12 wins were the most in school history. The Green Wave finished the 2018 season 12-1 and with eight straight victories.

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Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media

Wayne Hills comes back to top P'burg in North Group 4 Bowl Game

It was Wayne's world of wideouts - especially in the second half.

Wayne Hills showed excellence at the wide receiver position Friday night with the performances of seniors David Njoku and Jaaron Hayek in the Patriots' 35-21 victory over Phillipsburg in the North Group 4 Bowl Game.

The 6-4, 200-pound Njoku hauled in six passes from Tom Sharkey for 117 yards and three touchdowns, while the 6-1, 190-pound Hayek exhibited a variety of skills as both a receiver and a runner. He had seven receptions for 75 yards and also rushed 12 times for a game-high 98 yards and one TD - a 64-yarder that tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter.

Sharkey wound up outdueling Phillipsburg's Jack Stagaard in the battle of quarterbacks by hitting on 14 of 21 passes for 204 yards and those three scores to Njoku. Stagaard completed 21 of 32 for 149 yards and two TDs.

Photo: Wayne Hills's Charles Njoku (right) is congratulated by Joseph Mongelli (2) and Ben Kurzer (54) after scoring what would be the game winning touchdown in the third quarter during the NJSIAA North Group 4 Bowl between Wayne Hills and Phillipsburg at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on 11-30-18. Wayne Hills won 35-21. Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media

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Hills' Hayek did it all on offense

Here, Jaaron Hayek takes a direct snap and slices through a sizable hole off left tackle for a 65-yard TD run that knotted the score at 7-7 with just under seven minutes remaining in the first quarter. That set a tone of versatility for the senior wide receiver, who rushed for 98 yards and caught seven passes for 75 yards.

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Hills grabs momentum - off a helmet or two

The score was tied, 7-7 and Phillipsburg was riding a huge surge of momentum, snapping from the three-yard line just past the midpoint of the first quarter. A pass into the end zone by Phillipsburg's Jack Stagaard bounces off helmets and hands like a lottery ball before Wayne Hills lineman Gabe Dellechiaie secures it for an huge turnover. Wayne Hills would seize a 14-7 lead just under five minutes later.

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Njoku's playmaking

Wayne Hills' Charles Njuko's playmaking was a huge difference in the game, and here's a fine example. Njoku catches a short pass from Tom Sharkey, wheels away from a defender and immediately engages a high gear to turn it into a 40-yard scoring play that capped a seven-play, 85-yard drive for a 28-21 Wayne Hills lead early in the third quarter. That was the third TD reception of the night for the 6-4 senior.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Wayne Hills vs. Phillipsburg by the numbers

2 -- the number of helmets the ball bounced off - along with numerous hands - before falling into the grasp of Wayne Hills lineman Dabe Dellechiaie for an interception in the end zone with 5:21 remaining in the first quarter and the game knotted at 7-7.

3 - touchdown receptions by senior wide receiver Charles Njoku to pace the victory for Wayne Hills. He pulled in scoring passes of 27, 27 and 40 yards from Tom Sharkey and finished with six catches for 117 yards.

7 -- number of plays for Wayne Hills to drive 85 yards in the second half to snap a 21-21 tie. Quarterback Tom Sharkey launched it with a 19-yard run and capped it with a 40-yard pass to Charles Njoku with 10:40 left in the game.

Piscataway wore down Ridgewood in Saturday's North Group 5 Bowl Game and left MetLife Stadium with a 31-21 win to cap its perfect 13-0 season.

Piscataway's running game and offensive line dominated, particularly in the second half, and finished with 338 rushing yards. Nasir Best, who handled the bulk of the load in the second half when star RB Juwon Jackson was nursing an injury on the sideline, finished with 20 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns -- both in the final 24 minutes. Jackson, who missed most of the second half, still finished with 13 carries for a team-high 119 yards.

Leading, 17-13, at halftime, Piscataway put together an impressive 16-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 5-yard TD run from Best, taking 8 minutes and 27 seconds off the clock and posting a comfortable 24-13 lead with 3:33 left in the third.

Best would add his second rushing TD one possession later when he scored from 2 yards out with 9:32 left in the fourth to put Piscataway ahead, 31-13.

Photo: Piscataway celebrates after winning the NJSIAA North Group 5 championship football bowl game between Piscataway and Ridgewood at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on 12/1/18. Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Piscataway's Lord of the Wildcat

Though Philipsburg features a pair of top RBs in Juwan Jackson and Nasir Best, it was Lord Jones who took a Wildcat snap and raced 29 yards for the game's first touchdown. The score put Piscataway ahead, 10-0, one drive following a Piscataway field goal.

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Big-man touchdown gives P'Burg the lead again

On a 1st-and-10 from 11 with 1:13 left in the first half, Piscataway's Nasir Best fumbled, but offensive lineman Jordin Martell scooped up the loose ball at the 4 and took it into the end zone for the touchdown. With the PAT, Piscataway regained the lead, 14-13, to head into the half up one.

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Best scores 2nd TD and Piscataway seals it

After an injury to star RB Juwan Jackson early in the second half, it essentially became the Nasir Best show at MetLife Stadium over the final 24 minutes. Here, Best scores on a 2-yard TD run with 9:32 left in the fourth for his second TD in the second half to give Piscataway a 31-13 lead over Ridgewood.

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Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Piscataway vs. Ridgewood by the numbers

338 -- The number of yards Piscataway rushed for in its 31-21 win over Ridgewood. Lord Jones scored on a 14-yard TD run in the first quarter and Nasir Best scored on TD runs of 5 and 2 yards in the second half, while offensive lineman Jordin Martell also scooped up a fumble and scored on a 4-yard TD in the second quarter.

16 -- The number of plays Piscataway ran on its key 80-yard touchdown drive to open the second half. Juwon Jackson rushed three times on the first four plays, picking up 23 yards before exiting with injury, then Nasir Best took over. Best rushed 7 times on the drive for 36 yards, capped by his 5-yard touchdown run with 3:33 left in the third.

13 -- The number of consecutive games Piscataway RB Juwon Jackson scored a touchdown in, though that streak ended Saturday, despite Jackson leading the team is rushing yards with 119 on 13 carries. He suffered a right ankle injury early in the third quarter, but showed toughness by returning late in the fourth to help put the game away before being carried off by coaches and teammates.

3 -- The number of sacks for Piscataway's Nick Recine, shown here getting one of them on Ridgewood QB Liam Tarleton. Ridgewood didn't pass often and, when it did, Racine was often in the backfield causing havoc as he has done all year long.

8 -- The number of years since Piscataway's last undefeated season, which came in 2010. Racine's brother, Matt, was also a starting linebacker on that undefeated team.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

Sayreville gets a miracle to beat Williamstown in South Group 5 Bowl Game thriller

Excellent defense had been the the theme of Sayreville's three playoff games, and certainly was once again in this bowl matchup with explosive Williamstown. Sayreville would claim this first South Group 5 bowl title with a dramatic, 14-7 victory decided on a fumble recovery in the end zone with 41 seconds remaining.

Williamstown came in at 12-0 and averaging 32 points per game, though it had been even more impressive in the playoffs, racking up 118 points in three games to capture the South Jersey, Group 5 title.

Sayreville had allowed only 21 points in three playoff games en route to the Central Jersey crown, and was able to stay exactly on target against Williamstown behind the sturdy play of Jayvis Rayside, Savon Kirksey, Jacari Carter, Conner Anthony, Antwan Golson and, of course, Connor Holmes, who made the fumble recovery for the victory on a punt attempt from the end zone.

Wade Inge scored on a 43-yard run on Williamstown's second play of the game, but his side would be limited to just 144 total yards the rest of the way.

Photo: Sayreville players rush onto the field at MetLife Stadium after the Bombers beat Williamstown, 14-7, in the NJSIAA South Group 5 football state championship on Friday, November 23, 2018.

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Sayreville gets on the scoreboard with Wright - some rare offense

After earning just 36 yards on its first 12 plays, Sayreville handed off to Zuriel Wright for his second carry of the game, and the senior bounced away from a logjam off left tackle and went 57 yards to bring the Bombers to within 7-6 with 8:41 to go in the second quarter. Wright went for three yards on his initial carry and a combined six yards on his final five attempts.

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Sayreville defense was huge

Leading 7-6 but having been blanked in the second quarter, Williamstown had a promising drive cooking to open the second half. That came to a halt in the play shown above, when senior safety Antwan Golson burst into the backfield to stop QB J.C. Collins for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-2 from the Sayreville 29 with 5:47 to go in the third. The closest Williamstown would get after that was the Sayreville 35 later in the quarter, but that drive was stalled by a fumble.

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Sayreville's Miracle at the Meadowlands

The last few minutes of the game had a flurry of mishaps and turnovers, but nothing could have foretold the latest Miracle at the Meadowlands.

Williamstown was still up 7-6 with just 50 seconds to go, but deep in its own territory, a punt from the end zone would have to be executed to seal the deal. That didn't happen.

Somehow the Williamstown punter lost the ball as he was about to drop it to his foot. An alert Sayreville safety, Connor Holmes was on the spot to recover the fumble for a TD - a crazy last-minute reversal that lifted Sayreville to the win.

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Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Sayreville vs. Williamstown by the numbers

5 -- Interceptions this season for Sayreville senior Jacari Carter with the amazing one on the sidelines shown here, early in the fourth quarter with his Bombers trailing, 7-6. He also had three tackles in the game.

66 -- Three running backs - Wade Inge and J.C. Collins of Williamstown and Zuriel Wright of Sayreville - each rushed for that amount to share the lead in this defensive-minded game, Wright covered the bulk of his on a 57-yard TD run in the first half; Inge scored on a 43-yard run on his first carry of the game.

189 -- The combined rushing and passing tallied by either team. Sayreville compiled 96 passing and 93 on the ground, and Williamstown rushed for 147 and passed for 42.

387 -- The number of days in between the first career fumble recovery by Sayreville's Connor Holmes (October 6, 2017, in a loss to Piscataway) and his second, the game-winner in the end zone with 41 seconds remaining to give the Bombers a 14-7 victory.

St. Joseph (Hamm.) won its second straight state Non-Public Group 2 title, winning the latest edition of the Holy War, 41-22, over its rival Holy Spirit. It's the first time the two South Jersey Non-Public contenders had ever met in a championship setting.

Sophomore Ahmad Ross returned an interception 16 yards for a score, broke an 88-yard TD run and added a 25-yard rushing touchdown. Junior Jada Byers also scored three times, on passing receptions of 55 and 60 yards, and an electrifying 36-yard TD run.

Photo: Team photo after the Non-Public Group 2 victory by St. Joseph (Hamm.) over Holy Spirit 41-22 at MetLife Stadium. 11/30/18 East Rutherford, N.J. (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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St. Joe star #1 - Ahmad Ross

St. Joe sophomore Ahmad Ross found the end zone three times - once on an 88-yard TD run and once on a 25-yard run - but the first TD were the first points of the game on this 16-yard pick-6 in the first quarter.

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St. Joe builds momentum

After a St. Joseph goal-line stand keeps the score 14-6 in its favor, Ahmad Ross breaks an 88-yard TD run straight up the middle to make it a two-score game just before the half.

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St. Joseph star # 2 - Jada Byers

Junior Jada Byers also scored three TDs, on receptions of 55 and 60 yards and also on this electrifying 36-yard run with a killer cutback. The TD gave St. Joe a 34-22 lead with 3:36 to go in the third quarter, and Holy Spirit wouldn't score again.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Holy War by the numbers

35 - The number of total touchdowns this season for St. Joseph (Hamm.) junior Jada Byers, who scored on two pass receptions of 55 and 60 yards and a 36-yard run.

65 - The number of pounds St. Joseph sophomore Ahmad Ross gained since starting high school. Ross, shown here in his pick-6 in the first quarter, was 5-foot-7, 120 pounds heading into his freshman year and is now 6-1, 185 pounds.

20 - Number of state titles for St. Joseph (Hamm.).

4 - Number of touchdowns in the game over 50 yards. In addition to Byers' two long receptions, Ahmad Ross broke an 88-yard TD run for St Joseph (Hamm.) and Ahmad Brown caught a 72-yard scoring strike for Holy Spirit.

37 - Number of combined points in the second half after St. Joseph (Hamm.) went into the locker room with a 20-6 lead.

Red Bank Catholic completed a perfect season and secured the No. 1-ranking in the Shore Conference with a 14-10 victory over Mater Dei. Red Bank Catholic won the Non-Public, Group 3 title for the second time in three years. It was the third football championship in RBC history.

Defense again set the tone for Red Bank Catholic - it bent, but it didn't break. It was a theme of the game, and the Caseys stopped Mater Dei on a decisive fourth-and-goal from the three yard line with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter.

Photo: Red Bank Catholic team photo after the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 3 football state final on Saturday, November 24, 2018. RBC beat Mater Dei, 14-10.

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The art of deception leads to an RBC TD

After driving into Mater Dei territory early in the second quarter, Red Bank Catholic was faced with a 4th-and-6 at the 38-yard line. Red Bank Catholic lined up to punt but the snap went to up-back John Columbia, who shot up the left side of the line untouched for the first down and then some to keep the drive alive. The well-executed play led to the first RBC touchdown.

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Short, but decisive for RBC

Red Bank Catholic chose to run the ball for much of a key third-quarter drive after getting into Mater Dei territory. The Caseys turned to running back Billy Guidetti with his team on the 3-yard line. He took the handoff and powered through the left side of the line, falling forward and across the goal line to give Red Bank Catholic 14-3 lead.

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RBC's huge goal-line stand

A statement stop for RBC and more bend-not-break D.

With about five minutes left in the game, after two big Malik Ingram runs, Red Bank Catholic was able to force a 4th-and-goal at the 3-yard line. Mater Dei QB Rob McCoy took the snap out of the shotgun and kept the ball. He was met at the line of scrimmage by Kevin Bauman, who was joined by teammates Jake Louro and Steve Cmielewski to finish off the play and force a turnover on downs on the crucial 4th-down play.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

RBC vs. Mater Dei by the numbers

17 -- The number of tackles recorded by RBC linebacker Steve Cmielewski.

250 -- The total rushing yards for Mater Dei's junior running back Malik Ingram on 34 carries with a 51-yard touchdown, shown here.

46 -- The average punt of Red Bank Catholic's Ryan O'Hara, including a long of 51 yards

86 -- The total number of yards Red Bank Catholic gained on two, well-executed screen passes against Mater Dei.

4 -- The number of turnovers forced by the Red Bank Catholic defense (3 forced fumbles and an interception).

In a game for the state's No. 1 ranking, St. Joseph proved that defense wins championships.

The school from Montvale leaned on a ferocious pass rush led by seniors Howard Cross and Smith Vilbert to record an unprecedented shutout against a team known for its offensive prowess.

Sophomore Audric Estime scored on a 3-yard run for the game's only touchdown while senior Angelo Guglielmello kicked a pair of field goals to help the Green Knights earn a 13-0 win over Bergen Catholic in a game played in heavy rain from start to finish.

It was the first time Bergen Catholic was shut out since the 1990 season when it was blanked by Don Bosco Prep in the first round of the playoffs. The 28-year stretch included a streak of 310 games.

Photo: St. Joseph (Mont.) head coach Augie Hoffmann holds up the championship trophy after the Green Knights beat Bergen Catholic, 13-0, in the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 4 football state final on Saturday, November 24, 2018.

It was early in the second quarter. St. Joseph had just given up a 15-yard penalty on 3rd and long to keep the chains moving for BC, but the Green Knights defense and Connor Grieco made sure Bergen Catholic wouldn't take advantage of the new set of downs. Kevin Jaffe hit the quarterback to force a bad throw and Grieco came down with an interception. The pressure by Jaffe perfectly exemplified the type of defense the Green Knights played all night long.

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The only chunk play in a game devoid of offense

St. Joseph's junior quarterback Michael Alaimo showed what he does best on the biggest offensive play of the game. Alaimo ran play-action and then rolled out to give himself and his receivers time to get open. In that time, senior Gavin Sharkey got behind the defense to haul in a perfectly thrown ball for a 61-yard catch and run, the biggest gain of the game for either team. Sharkey's catch ultimately set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Audric Estime, the game's only TD.

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Collision caps dominant effort, preserves shutout

Play-by-play announcer Dan Long said it best in the NJ High School Sports Live broadcast, clipped here. "St. Joseph's defense has had an answer ALL. DAY. LONG."

Bergen Catholic was facing 4th-and-3 at St. Joseph's 37-yard line when the Green Knights defense came up with up with yet another answer. Bergen Catholic had its best field position of the game with 5:58 remaining when seniors Connor Grieco and Jimmy Ciarlo collided with each other as both players got a hand on the ball to break up the pass. The result was a turnover on downs that likely preserved St. Joseph's shutout.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

SJR-BC by the numbers

310 -- Bergen Catholic went 310 games without being shut out. Game No. 311 proved to be different as St. Joseph's defense ended a streak that spanned 28 seasons.

253 -- The number of points scored by senior Angelo Guglielmello in his four years as St. Joseph's kicker. In Saturday's game, "The Shoe" became the state's all-time leader for career points after kicking two field goals from 19 and 35 yards out as well as an extra point. The record was formerly held by Ramapo's Ricky Krautman, who kicked 250 points from 1998-2001.

152 -- St. Joseph held Bergen Catholic to 152 yards of offense until its final drive when the Crusaders eventually cracked 200 yards.